Love is a Hard Path to Walk
by Edokina
Summary: After being gone for a year, Atem comes back from the spirit world everyone thought he'd entered for good. Yugi is overjoyed, but also at a loss. Can he confess his love to Atem and risk losing him? Or will Anzu get to him first?
1. A Friend's Return

**Edokina: **Hello, everyone! This is my first attempt at shounen ai. Atem and Yugi are probably the only couple I'm okay with people forcing together to satisfy their own fangirlism. Or fanboyism, if you're into it, I guess. Anyway, I think that they're just sooooo cute together!  
Okay, enough of my babble. Yugi, start up the disclaimer then get back in the kitchen!  
**Yugi:** You're really bossy...  
**Edokina:** But you still wuv me! (snuggles)  
**Yugi:** Heh heh... sure... (rolls eyes) (( _fangirls...))_ Oh! Disclaimer, right. Edokina does not Yu-Gi-Oh! Although she said she would've killed Anzu off in the first season if she did... (glares)  
**Edokina:** What? It's not my fault she's such a hate-able character...

* * *

A Friend's Return

Yugi walked silently down the street, an umbrella held above his wild hair, bending it in random directions a bit but shielding it and his top half from the rain. He didn't know how he felt about the rain. He loved it because it was so calming, but he hated it because it always ruined his jeans.

He found his thoughts drifting to the Pharaoh once again. He missed him dearly. It had been a year today since they'd dueled, and the Pharaoh had walked through those gates to join the others from his time. He vaguely wondered if the people inside had missed him, then dismissed the thought as silly; of _course_ they would miss their pharaoh.

A whole year… it was still so hard to believe. Yugi was now in his first year of college. He kept his books and supplies in the messenger bag that sat on his right hip. It was a fifteen minute walk from his house to the train station, half an hour on the train, then another ten minutes to get to school. About an hour total. It was shorter by car by about twenty minutes, but he'd just felt like walking today. He knew that he wouldn't be able to concentrate on the road.

He could still feel the ghost of the Millennium Puzzle against his chest, and a part of his heart felt like is was missing. Sometimes this feeling got so bad that it hurt. And it took him a whole month to figure out why.

He _loved_ Atem.

_You never know what you've got until it's gone._ He had no idea who said this, or where he'd heard it, but he believed it one-hundred percent. A part of him believed that Atem would stay forever. Maybe if he'd figured out his feelings sooner, he could've used them as a more convincing reason for Atem to stay.

But it was much too late, and the shell of a boy continued his walk in the rain. He was halfway home now.

He was still renowned as the King of Games. Before, he'd never thought he deserved the title, and hated receiving all the credit for Atem's skill. But now that he'd beaten him, he supposed he could accept the title. But he still disliked getting credit for Atem's work. Even now, the news channels would sometimes play highlight reels of what they saw as his best duels, still oblivious to the fact that it was those duels that had saved the world from destruction.

Yugi stopped at a crosswalk and pressed the button, then waited for the light to change. While he waited, he stared at himself in the puddle at his feet. He didn't change much. He was almost as tall as Atem. However, he'd stopped growing, so the only way he could be taller was if he measured and grew his hair more. He managed to laugh at this, and caught another glimpse in the puddle. The serious, "I'm buried in thought- leave me alone" look really didn't suit him.

Although, neither did the, "awww, man! Just what I needed…" look he was giving now. A car had driven by too fast and splashed the puddle all over him. _That's what I get for staring into it in the first place…_ He thought, and crossed the street awkwardly when the light finally changed. He hated wearing wet clothes; they stuck to him like a tongue to a flagpole in the middle of winter.

"Grandpa, I'm home!" He called when he made it back. His grandfather's age was finally catching up with him. He couldn't get far without his cane now, but other than that he was the picture of good health. For a man his age, at least.

"Yugi! I'm so glad you're home! What took you?" His grandfather called from the kitchen. It sounded like he was making tea, because he'd just silenced a whistling kettle. "I decided to walk today, remember, Grandpa? And the rain holds _everybody_ up. I'm surprised that I even managed to catch the train in time." He noticed that his grandfather was pouring two cups of tea, "Oh, no thanks, Grandpa. I'm gonna take a hot shower first. Some jerk splashed me with water while he drove by, and I don't want to catch a cold or something."

"Oh, this isn't for you, Yugi."

Yugi stopped, halfway to the stairs, and turned around, "It's not? Who's it for then, Grandpa?" The only company they ever had were Yugi's friends, and they'd all gone home for the day due to all the homework they'd been assigned. So who…?

"Oh, an old friend of yours, Yugi. Why don't you come in and say hello before that shower you were talking about?" He chuckled. Yugi followed him into the living room, helping him carry the other tea. His eyes fell upon the being on the couch and he almost dropped it. It fell from his hand, and he'd fumbled to get it under control and spilled half of it onto the floor as his right hand gripped the teacup and his left dove for the saucer it had sat on.

"Yugi! I know it's shocking, but must you be so clumsy with my best china? And spilling the man's tea, even!" He pretended to sound mad, but he understood completely and added another chuckle and handed the man the cup he'd been carrying.

"Thank you, Mutou-san. Yugi, it's been a while, hasn't it?" The man laughed.

Yugi continued to stare in disbelief, his voice hardly audible when he'd found it and muttered, "Atem?"

* * *

**Edokina:** Yays! Atem is now back! Now that I've defied logic, I can get on with it! Sorry if it's a bit short... I'll try to make the next one longer! Let's just hope that it works out that way...  
**Yugi: **Huh? But I thought that you already-  
**Edokina:** (Shuts Yugi up) Already started? Yes! Hah hah, Yugi, you are _so_ not good with secrets.  
I'll post it in a few days, hopefully! I'm going on vacation soon, and the story can't come with me, so with any luck I'll manage to get the next one up before I leave. 


	2. Explanations

**Edokina:** Hooray for chapter two! Told you I'd get it up before I left! But it'll be about a week before I can update again. But I will the second I get the chance! Promise!  
**Yugi:** That's what you said when you told your parents you'd clean your room.  
**Edokina:** C'mon, that was_ one_ time!  
**Yugi:** See!? That's a lie, too!! You disappoint me! (Pouting)  
**Edokina:** Aww, lookit how cute you are! (Snuggles) I love you sooo much!  
**Yugi:** H-hey! You should know by now that my heart belongs to someone else!  
**Atem:** Who's that, Aibou?  
**Edokina & Yugi:** ...  
**Atem:** What? Did I say something odd?  
**Yugi:** No! Not at all! In fact, why don't you do the disclaimer?  
**Atem:** Um... okay... Edokina-san does not own Yu-Gi-Oh! Although something tells me that things would have gone differently if she did...

* * *

Explanations

Yugi felt the warmth of the hot droplets of water prick his cold skin like dozens of hot needles. It relaxed his muscles, and the steam floated into the air and helped him think. Atem was back! He couldn't believe it, even after Atem's explanation.

_Yugi walked over and placed the tea cup on the table and sat next to Atem, staring into his memorizing crimson eyes. Atem placed his cup on the table beside Yugi's, that smile still charming his features. Yugi's hands slowly moved up to Atem's face, and cupped it in his hands. Both Atem and Yugi's grandpa were taken aback, wondering what was on the young man's mind… It was an oddly intimate gesture after all, even for long time friends. Although the awkward moment quickly shattered when Yugi's thumbs and index fingers worked together to pinch Atem's cheeks and stretch his face in various directions._

_"Ow ow ow!! Yugi! That hurts!" Atem swatted Yugi's hands away with a laugh. "It's really you!?" Yugi asked, his voice louder now. Atem nodded, "Who else could I be?" _

"_I-I dunno… an illusion?"_

_That made Atem laugh again. "Well, now that that's obviously not it, any other suggestions?"_

_Yugi shook his head._

_"Good! Then I can explain properly, right?"_

_"Please do!"_

_That earned yet another chuckle, "It was simple, actually. I was shocked, myself. I was telling my father another story about you, and he seemed to notice that I talk about you and our friends with this… fondness, he had said. He asked why I left you all, because we seemed to have had so much fun. I told him, 'I thought you and everyone else wanted me to come back? You're my father, and they're all my friends…I thought I owed it to you all to come back after being gone for a few millennia.' My father shook his head and told me that I really should be where I want to be. You defeated me; I've learned all I need from you, and that in itself grants me my own body. And it's all my choice of whether to stay with you and our friends or go to the afterlife. Then my father told me, 'with a mortal body, you can come back and join us anytime. You're one of the few that get a second chance at life; don't use it hanging out with dead people you know you'll see again eventually. The few years you'll have left will seem like nothing once you get back here.' So, he somehow got the door to open, I bid everyone farewell, and stepped outside. The temple was exactly as we left it. However, I couldn't leave without the Millennium Puzzle. Literally." He grabbed the golden pyramid hanging around his neck by a chain, "I'd try to walk outside and I'd start hurting… It took me a while to figure out why."_

_Yugi looked a little dumbfounded, "Weren't the ruins destroyed?"_

_"Hm? No… how would I have gotten out, Yugi?"_

_"I… don't know. But after you went through that door, the ruins collapsed…"_

_Atem was silent as he debated this, "Maybe it didn't collapse, just… hid itself, the entrance, underground. And it resurfaced when the door opened again, so I could get out?"_

_Yugi nodded, supposing that he didn't really care. Atem was back! He gave the man a huge hug, "I missed you so much!"_

_Atem chuckled a bit, "I missed you too, Aibou. Although it appears I've come on the wrong day; Anzu, Jounouchi and Honda aren't coming?"_

_"No- we've got… a lot… of… awww, man! I'm loaded with homework today! You didn't time this right at _all,_ Atem!" Yugi laughed, still overly grateful that he was back._

But now he'd come to a dilemma. If Atem had stayed behind the gate, then Yugi would have continued to feel empty, though maybe just until he'd found a… a significant other. He didn't know if he was bi or flat out gay. But when he thought about it like that, it sounded so… wrong. And love shouldn't be wrong.

_Okay, then… I'm either… an equal opportunity lover, or… or I'm playing for the other team._ That sounded better.

But it didn't help him solve his dilemma as he shut off the water valves and stepped out of the shower, drying himself off with a towel. It was raining, and he wasn't expecting anyone to drop by, and on top of that Atem had seen him in his pajamas a million times, so he had no problem changing into them even though it was only the afternoon.

When Yugi opened the bathroom door, steam leaked out of it like air out of a balloon. He went down the hall and into his room, where he found Atem watching television. He'd looked up at Yugi from the bed when he heard the door open, "This is new! When did your grandpa let you get one in your room?"

"A while ago…" Yugi answered, not exactly sure when. Atem looked exactly the same as he had the day the two of them finally split apart to duel. After a year, it was almost like seeing a ghost.

Yugi shook his head. How dare he think like that! Atem coming back to him like this was a miracle; there was no need to turn it into a horror story.

He sat on the bed beside him. Given that Atem had his own body, he also had his own, unique scent that reminded him of sand and sunshine. Scents of the desert.

"So, how've you been, Yugi?"

"Huh? Oh, great! Yeah. Actually, Anzu's signed up with a dancing company. So she's really busy with that, and becoming good enough to make it a career. Jounouchi and Honda are going to the same school as me, so I get to see them everyday."

"Wow, Anzu's dancing already? I thought she was going to finish high school first…"

"She did."

"What? But when I left, you guys were in your last quarter of senior year. And that was only about a month ago…"

"A month? Atem, it's been a whole year… exactly one year today, actually."

"What!?" Atem exclaimed, obviously shocked.

Yugi nodded, "I'm so loaded with homework because we're finishing up units and getting ready for finals. I've got a lot to study."

"I-I'm sorry, Aibou. We can catch up later. You start on your homework. I might even be able to help, if you need it."

"Thanks, Atem. I'm sorry we can't hang out right away. That's probably what you were expecting, and here I am not living up to that…"

"Yugi, there's no reason to think about it like that. I've lived with you for four years, remember? I completely understand. So don't worry about it; just get it done. I'll watch T.V. downstairs, if you want."

"No, it's alright. I've gotten into the habit of leaving it on, anyway. The noise helps me think." He lied. He thought better with silence. But he just didn't want Atem to leave; it was bad enough that he had to move from the spot next to him to his desk.

Pulling out what he would need, he sighed. Work was always harder to do when you were eager to finish and do the one thing in the world you wanted to do most.

_Guess I'd better stop moping and get to it…_

* * *

**Edokina:** And there you have it!  
**Atem:** Have what? What is this?  
**Yugi:** (Pulling back on Atem's arm) Aw, Atem- you don't wanna see that!  
**Atem: **Hm? Why not?  
**Yugi:** Because it's... It's Edokina's diary!  
**Edokina:** My huh!?  
**Atem:** Oh, I'm terribly sorry! (Turns around)  
**Yugi:** That's right! Why don't you... um... go set up a game of Duel Monsters! Downstairs! I'll be right there!  
**Atem: **Alright, Yugi... (leaves)  
**Yugi:** (Winks) Bye now!  
**Edokina:** That boy is so good with excuses, its frightening...  
On a different note, thank you for the reviews! I really appreciate them! And to yugixyamiyaoilover: you can go ahead and beat Anzu up anyway! In fact, if I didn't need her, I woulda said she got hit by a truck six months prior. May seem harsh, but I hate her SO much!! As I just said, the only reason I keep her around is 'cause the storyline would be dead without her.  
Next chapter title: The Big News! See you in a week! 


	3. The Big News

**Edokina:** Hello again everyone! It's great to be back! Here's chapter three, as promised! (Smirks at Yugi) Toldya I'd do it!  
**Yugi:** Yeah, yeah (sticks out tongue). Not like it matters, though. This chapter sucks and it's short...  
**Edokina:** What'd you just say!? I worked hard on it! The shortness facter- I apologize but that's just how things worked out! Same with the next one...  
**Yugi:** But the next one at least has better content! Post it now!  
**Edokina:** Back off! I'll post it in another couple of days. Y'know, when I actually edit it!? Do the discalimer then go play video games or something!  
**Yugi:** (growls) Edokina does not own Yu-Gi-Oh! But if she did, I'd have a lot more screen time and Atem never would have left! ...Wait... that actually doesn't sound so bad...

* * *

Yugi's alarm clock went off. He smacked it hard and heavily got out of bed, only to wonder how he'd gotten there in the first place. From his memory, he'd fallen asleep at his desk again…

_Wait, did I!?_ Suddenly awake, he jumped out of bed and looked at the papers on his desk, only to find that they weren't even there! He grabbed his black schoolbag and pulled out the binder he kept them all in, sighing with relief when he found his homework in place, all finished minus a few unanswered math problems. But he could do those at lunch.

Putting it all back, he grabbed a pair of blue jeans and a black t-shirt with "My Duel Monster can pwn yours" written across it in white letters, the word "pwn" red with emphasis. He added his choker, the belt that actually kept his pants around his waist, and the belt that held his Duel Monsters deck, and a few wrist accessories. Finishing off with a pair of plain white socks, he walked down the stairs, taking in the aroma of pancakes, eggs and sausage.

"Grandpa! I can make my own breakfast." He yelled as he descended the stairs. "I know you can, Yugi, but with Atem to help me, I thought there'd be no problem!" The old man smiled to his grandson once he entered the kitchen, where Atem stood cracking eggs into a pan. He threw the shell into the trash and smiled at Yugi, "We've already made your plate, so you wouldn't have to wait on us to finish." He handed the plate to Yugi with that wonderful smile of his. Yugi blushed a bit and returned the smile as he grabbed the plate and took it to the kitchen table. "Thanks, guys, but I would have been fine with toast…" "Oh, Yugi, it's fine! I would have made something like this anyway; don't want to feed toast to a good friend you haven't seen in ages! Just go ahead and eat. I think Atem is almost finished with the last batch of eggs." His grandpa responded. Atem nodded and grunted in agreement, and in about two minutes joined the Mutous at the table.

"You're still falling asleep at your desk, Aibou?" Atem chuckled, starting the conversation. "Ah, yeah, I guess I am!" Yugi laughed in response, "But I woke up in my bed this morning…"

"I just decided to tuck you in. You wake up with kinks and aches in your body when you sleep like that, remember?"

Yugi nodded, smiled slightly, and blushed at the same time. He went into a short daydream, wondering how Atem had held him… and wishing he'd been awake for it. It was difficult, but he managed to hold back a depressed sigh. "Yeah, I do… it happened about two days ago!" he laughed a bit, "And you even knew how I organize my homework! I'm surprised that you remember all this about me."

"I thought it had only been a month since I left, remember? It still feels like it… Even so, how could I forget anything about you, Yugi?"

"Well, time _does_ do things to the mind, right?" He laughed awkwardly.

"I suppose that you're right…" Atem answered, staring down at his plate. He poked his fork into his sausage and ate it. Yugi frowned, wondering what was on his mind before running his eyes over the clock. "Oh, crap!" He leapt out of the chair and ran over to the sink, trying to wash the dish and utensils quickly. "I am _so_ late for school!"

"Aibou, I can take care of-"

"It's alright, Atem! I got it!" He finished washing the plate, dried it and placed it back in the cupboard with the rest and dashed upstairs for his bag. He struggled to get his shoes on, grabbed his raincoat and dug through his bag for his keys, "Dammit, where did I…?" He pulled them out of the pocket and shouted, "Bye, Grandpa! Bye, Atem! I'll see you both later!" He dashed out the door, jumped into his car and started it up, the rain beginning to sprinkle his windshield.

Yugi rushed into the classroom and sat down right as the bell rang. Sighing with relief, he pulled out his homework and set it on his desk for the teacher to come by and pick up. Jounouchi leaned to his left and whispered, "There you are, Yuug! I was startin' to wonder if you'd show up today…"

"Of course, Jounouchi! I just… well I had a bit of a shock yesterday. You'll never guess who came over, and was even making breakfast today!"

"Then you'd better tell me!"

"Not now; let's wait until lunch. Then I can tell Honda at the same time, and we can call Anzu on her cell."

"Aw, but Yuug! If you don't tell me, then it'll be on my mind all day! I'll fail all my tests thinking about it!"

"Then I guess you'd better forget I said anything, huh?" He laughed.

"So, who's the mystery man I've heard Joey complain endlessly about?" Honda asked when they gathered at their usual lunch spot, beneath a tree that managed to protect them from the rain. "Hang on; we've gotta call Anzu first. I'll put it on speaker and I can just tell you all at once…" Yugi said, giving him a "hold your horses" look as he dialed Anzu's number. It rang a few times before Anzu actually picked up. "Hello?" She asked on the other end. "Hi Anzu! Someone stopped by my house last night, and he's actually still there, right now. Can you guess who?"

Anzu was silent for a moment, then her voice chimed a mock, "The Pharaoh?" into his ear. Jounouchi half glared at the phone. It was rude to suggest that when she knew how much they all missed him. Although he nearly jumped ten feet out of pure shock when Yugi answered, "Hey! That's right! How'd you know?"

"Whaaaaat!? You mean Atem's… really… really!?" Jounouchi stuttered. Yugi nodded, and everyone seemed like they were ready to sing and dance their own musical, "He's really back! The Pharaoh is really back!" Honda said to himself, as if he couldn't believe it unless he said it enough times. "We gotta go see him! First thing after school! You're drivin', Yuug!" Jounouchi smiled. "I'll meet you guys over there as soon as I can! You get out around three, right?"

"Yup!" the boys answered in unison.

"Alright! I'll see you all later! Bye!"

"Bye Anzu!" The boys all said, and Yugi closed his flip phone and stuffed it into his left back pocket. Now that the big news was out, they ate their lunches even happier than usual, spending the last half hour talking about how it happened and how psyched they were for school to end.

* * *

**Edokina:** Again, I apologize for the slowness. I guess that it's a set-up for the next chapter, which, as I said before, I'll post in another couple of days. The title? "Allies and Foes on the Inside."  
But it wasn't a total loss! Atem made breafast for lil' Yugi! ...With Grandpa's help... but made it for him nonetheless:)


	4. Allies and Foes on the Inside

**Edokina: **Hah hah! A bit late (sorry!!) but it's here now! The drama will now start to pick up a bit.  
**Yugi: **It's about time!! You take way too long to get into the story... and separate the chapters wierd! You _could_ try fusing some of these! (Looks over manuscript)  
**Edokina:** Hey, I stop the story where I see fit! Like this chapter here- arrgh! (Turns to readers) I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! (turns back to argue with Yugi)

* * *

"I'm home! And guess who came with?" Yugi smiled as he came in the door. He greeted his grandfather, who currently sat at the store counter, and proceeded to the living room where Atem was wrestling with the first level of a video game. One glance and Yugi knew it was his Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures. He'd beaten it long ago. But Atem appeared to be having trouble, as he was hardly at the end of level 1-1 and he was almost dead.

"King of Games, huh?" He mocked. "Oh, be quiet! I'm not used to these. You know that I was never good at them. It would be much easier saving the world myself." Atem answered, causing Yugi to laugh again. Even without trying Atem made him happy.

He shook his head and quickly hid his thoughts. This wasn't the time for that!

"Hey, Atem? You think you could take a break from dying and say 'hi' to your friends?"

Atem turned around and smiled at Jounouchi and Honda, who had already taken seats on the couch behind him. He stood up and responded, "Hey guys! Miss- ack!" The two boys already had him in a headlock and rubbed their fists into his hair, "He-hey, Pharaoh! Nice of you to join us again, you big lug! You shoulda just stayed wit' us in the first place, dat way we'd never have had ta miss ya!" Jounouchi told him, and Honda's "welcome back" speech followed, "Yeah, dude! You have any idea what you put us through, and how much fun we have to have to make up for a whole year?" The four of them laughed and got settled back on the couch, Honda on the left, Jounouchi on the right, Yugi in the middle and Atem on the floor in front of Yugi. Before they'd disturbed him, he'd been leaning against the couch. Now Yugi wished that Atem would lean against his legs… maybe he could play with his hair as he did…

He noticed Atem standing up, and when he turned around, he realized why. He'd been so lost in his daydream that he hadn't noticed Anzu come in, and Yami was standing up for a hug. Anzu broke into tears of joy, "Oooh, Pharaoh, we've missed you so much! How've you been?" She hugged him so tightly, the other three boys wondered if the poor man could breathe. "G-great!" he managed before she finally let him go. He caught his breath and smiled at her, "Sounds like you've been doing well, too! Yugi told me that you've finally begun your dancing career?"

She nodded, "Yeah! And it's going great! I have an excellent teacher, and some wonderful dance partners!" Anzu had been growing her hair out within the past year. It now went halfway down her back, and flowed with each of her movements. But other than that, she hadn't changed a bit.

Or at least not from Yugi's memory… either she'd manage to sunburn her cheeks or she had one helluva blush. Why would she be blushing? A few ideas shot through his head, but he shook them off. It couldn't be because of Atem. He couldn't believe that. This was Anzu! She had a thing for one of the men in her dance class- she'd told him so herself!

"I'm hungry! Anyone else?" Yugi smiled, hoping that this would distract his own thoughts. Jounouchi and Honda, of course, answered immediately, and almost simultaneously. Anzu answered with a "Yeah! Food sounds great right now!" and Atem with a nod. So Yugi turned to the kitchen and busied himself with ideas.

However, before he could firmly decide on what to make, Jounouchi came in, "Hey, Yuug! Wacha cookin' up?" "Hm? Oh, nothing yet, Jounouchi. I haven't decided…"

"Sandwiches and soup! Quick, easy, and perfect for days like today! All dark and gloomy and cold… I hate winter."

"Really? Only thing I don't like about it is the fact that it ruins my jeans. Oh, and slows down everything to the pace of a snail through syrup."

"A wha? That's so gross, Yuug!"Yugi chuckled, "Sorry, Jounouchi. Guess I get too into those stories in English class. I'm starting to make the same analogies that I use in my stories."

Jounouchi smiled in reply, and helped gather the things for the sandwiches while Yugi started on soup. "So, Yuug, what was that look you were giving Atem?"

"Huh!?" Yugi nearly dropped the can into the soup, "Wh-what look? I don't give him any looks! You must be seeing things, Jounouchi!"

"C'mon, Yuug! You can't lie to me, and you know dat!"

"Lie? Who's lying, Jounouchi? Not I, said the cat! Not I, said the dog! Not I, said the… oh, I can't remember who came next- last time I heard the story was back in elementary school! You remember that story, Jou? I think that the chicken's name was Henny Penny… She wanted to make a pie or something, right?"

Jounouchi sighed, "Yuug, don't change da subject. You got a crush on him, don't you?"

"Dwa!? Jounouchi, that's preposterous! That's ludicrous! That's just flat out redicurous! That's… That's… Oh, who am I kidding?" He flopped into a chair, leaving the soup to heat, "You caught me, Jou. Yeah, I have a crush on the guy. …No, never mind. It's not as small as that." He said as he shook his head. He looked up at Jounouchi with his huge amber eyes, filled with sadness, "I _love_ him, Jou. I always have. I just didn't know it until after he left… and it was much too late by then…"

"Then why don't you tell him now? You've got nuttin' holdin' you back…"

"That's just it, Jou. I _can't_ tell him now! He only got back yesterday… what if that's rushing it a bit? Besides… what if he… what if he's not interested? I haven't seen him do anything that implies that he's… that he could like guys. What if I creep him out?"

"You? Creep him out? Yuug, he's your best friend and probably knows you better than we even do. After all, he lived inside ya head fer four years. You think he could just abandon all that because you had to ask if he was gay?"

"Not 'gay,' Jou. 'Play for the other team.' And yes, I do. What's to stop him? He's old enough- he could go get himself a job, and a house, and never have to see me again. And, I'd rather get to see him everyday as a friend than never see him at all. I'll be okay, Jou- you're probably right. It probably is just a crush- I'll get over him in no time. That girl in our English class is pretty cute, right? The one that sits by Honda?"

"Yuug, don't do this to yaself. If you love someone, you gotta go after dat! Just lookit me n' Mai! She almost skipped town, remember? But I told her how I felt, and it all worked out! And just lookit how happy we are togetha!" Jounouchi smiled and pulled out his wallet, flipping through the pictures of him and Mai inside. They _did_ look awfully happy…

"Jounouchi, you're different! Mai's a girl, you're a guy… it works. You're not the one that's still shocked that he's… not completely straight. You didn't have to try and figure out if the one you love is an equal opportunity lover, and possibly freak him out and risk never seeing him again simply because you loved him…" Yugi couldn't stand to face his friend anymore and turned to the soup, stirring it a bit. Jounouchi went back to the sandwiches. It took him a few minutes to break the tension that had begun to settle in. "Yugi, I'm sorry. You're right- it's not as simple as confessing your love and getting an answer, and going from there. But… what else are ya gonna do? You like living in ya daydreams, knowing that you're not willing to risk it to make them reality? Maybe you could-"

"Is that Atem's?" Yugi cut him off, grabbing two finished sandwiches and carrying them out of the kitchen. He didn't want to talk about this. He didn't want to think about the risks, or the possibilities, or the "what ifs." He had other things to think about- exams, homework… helping his grandpa with the shop… playing games… _Okay now you're just avoiding it, and you know it._

He handed a sandwich to Atem and one to Anzu, "Yours is coming in a sec, Honda! There's soup in there, too. Anyone not want any?"

"Just make sure that you make enough- you, Atem and I have normal sized stomachs, while Jounouchi and Honda have enough for the three of us _each._" Anzu joked, causing Honda to react with a "Hey, we're not that bad!"

"Oh yeah? What about the time when you…" Anzu's voice trailed off as Yugi walked into the kitchen again. Jounouchi was serving the soup into bowls now. He looked up from the pot, dissatisfaction on his face. Yugi grabbed Honda's sandwich and a bowl of soup, and stopped in the doorway when Jounouchi spoke, "I'm only trying ta help, Yuug. After all, that's what friends do, right?"

Yugi was silent for a moment before nodding, a barely audible "Right," escaping his lips before leaving the kitchen again.

* * *

**Yugi: **You evil, evil author!!  
**Edokina:** Oh, what is it _now_, you whiny little cutie?  
**Yugi: **You forgot to answer your reviews last time!  
**Edokina:** Oooh crap, you're right... oops...  
Thank you all so much for the reviews!! And for being with me in the "Anzu sucks and should die" fanclub! As far as I can tell, not many are reading this, but I'm very honered by the few that are! I promise you all that I _will_ finish this story!  
Next chapter: Snatched Away! See ya then! 


	5. Snatched Away

**Edokina: **Okay, please don't be too mad at me! I gave you guys the wrong preview chapter title. But I've gone back and fixed it! Not that it'll help you now...  
**Yugi: **You're just too much of a perfectionist...  
**Edokina: **Only when it comes to writing!! Anyway, here ya go! "Snatched Away," the _proper_ title! _Next_ chapter is Between a Rock and a Hard Place. And again, thanks for the reviews! Sorry that this isn't gonna work out quite the way you seem to be expecting. Oh, the glory of plot twists!!

* * *

Snatched Away

After three hours of hanging out and catching up, Anzu, Honda and Jounouchi finally left, leaving Atem and Yugi alone.

As they cleaned up, Yugi had his mind focused on something. Something that had happened about an hour ago. Anzu had asked to speak to Atem privately… What had she wanted? He remembered Jounouchi shooting him a look, a troubled one. Had she really done what he thought she did? That wasn't fair! Atem only just got here! Wasn't she going to give him a bit of space first?

"Yugi!" "Huh!?" Yugi looked up at Atem, who was giving him a worried look, "You've been bending over to pick up that cracker for about five minutes, and you didn't answer me for a second. Are you alright?"

"Huh? Oh, of course I am! Just zoned out again. I do that often!" He faked a laugh, which obviously didn't fool Atem, but he said nothing as he turned the vacuum back on and ran it over the carpet. Yugi threw away all the garbage he'd collected and leaned his back against the wall. Atem already knew that there was something wrong. He had to be more careful!

Yugi crouched over his homework at his desk. It was about seven, and he'd only been at it for half an hour. "All You Wanted" by Michelle Branch blared into his ears through the earphones, his iPod resting by his elbow. It kind of reminded him of himself, maybe Atem, too. He vaguely wondered if Atem spoke English. _Well, he fluently spoke Japanese as soon as he came out of the Millennium Puzzle…Would it be any different for any other language?_ He sighed and pushed the thoughts away, trying to focus on his math again. He suddenly felt a tap on his shoulder, and he turned around to face Atem. He pushed "pause" on his iPod and turned completely around, "Hey, Atem! What's up?" Atem took a seat on Yugi's bed and answered, "Just, some stuff… I have things on my mind again. Guess I'll never really be worry-free, right?" He smirked.

"That's not true, Atem! You had no worries earlier, right?"

Atem looked at him in thought, then nodded slightly. Suddenly he asked, "Yugi, do you like Anzu?"

It was so sudden and straightforward that Yugi nearly fell out of his chair. He managed to drop his pencil and have it roll off his desk, though, "Wh-what!? Of course I do! She's one of the best friends I've ever had!"

Atem shook his head, "No, not like that… I remember you once… what do you call it… had a crush? On her. I know that feeling went away, but… I just want to make sure it didn't come back."

"Huh?" _He knew about my crush on Anzu? That was way back in Duelist Kingdom…Wow, he must have been really in-tune to my feelings while I hardly knew he existed… _"Um, no, it didn't. I can only see her as a friend nowadays… Why?"

"Hm? Oh… Well, Anzu asked me to go out with her on Saturday… But I wanted to make sure that it was okay with you."

_What!? Just because I don't like Anzu like that doesn't mean I approve of you dating her! If you're gonna go out with anyone, it should be me!_ Yugi erupted into a jealous rage, although there was no way he could show it without giving anything away. What if he told him what he had just thought? Would it push him even further away? _No, I can't risk it,_ he thought, his heart wrenching as he thought of Atem walking around the city with Anzu, talking and laughing with her, holding hands, telling each other how special they were to one another…

His heart was probably in knots and squeezing blood from itself by now, "Yeah, why wouldn't it be okay with me? Anzu's my friend- I want her to be happy. I want you to be happy, too! So, you go ahead and have fun!" He smiled widely.

"Thank you, Aibou." Atem smiled, "I'll leave so you can get back to your homework." He said, and stopped in the doorway, "One more thing… when is Saturday?"

Yugi managed a laugh, "Day after tomorrow."

"Thank you again!" He nodded, and left.

As soon as he heard the door shut, Yugi let himself fall apart. He hadn't counted on this. He'd thought about it a bit, but he never actually believed that Anzu would stand in his way. _This is what I get for thinking that creeping him out was the only way I could lose him…_

His teacher would have to deal with the tear stains on his paper.

* * *

**Yugi:** Waaaah!! I can't _believe_ you!! How could you _do _this to me, Kina!?  
**Edokina:** That's probably what the readers are saying... If it is, leave a review and tell me so! If it's not, then leave one anyway!  
**Yugi:** What's the magic word?  
**Edokina:** ...Please? (puppy dog eyes) 


	6. Between a Rock and a Hard Place

**Edokina:** Sorry Prince Vinnie, and all who also probably want longer chapters, but I just can't seem to do that. As I argued with Yugi already, I stopped the chapters where I saw fit to... But this was the one I seriously thought was too short. I only managed to attatch another conversation and some small paragraphs, but it filled a tatch over a page on Microsoft Word. But! The next chapter, Right and Wrong, is about a page and a half and chapter eight is three and a quarter!  
Again, sorry for the shortness, but I hope that the overall story makes up for it! It'll get better, I promise! Just stick with me!  
**Yugi: **As if I have a choice?  
**Edokina: **Yuuuugiiii!! Stop being such a spoil-sport and do the disclaimer!  
**Yugi: **(sigh) Edokina does not own me, Atem, Jounouchi or any other Yu-Gi-Oh! characters that appear in this fanfic. Although who knows what would happen to poor Anzu if she did...

* * *

Between a Rock and a Hard Place

"Yuug, what happened to ya paper?" Jounouchi asked as he borrowed it to copy a few problems. "Huh? Oh, I uh… I washed may hands and forgot to dry them off. Y'know when you flick your hands to get most of the water off? That's the last time I do that around my homework!" He laughed.

"Yuug, don't gimme dat. Somethin' happened last night. Was it Atem?"

"Of course not!" he yelled, as if he'd been offended, "Joey, why can't you just butt out and keep your nose in your own relationship?"

"Because I'm worried about my best friend! Mai and I are great- she doesn't mind if I take time to worry about my friends. So tell me what's up!"

"Jou, I'm warning you- butt out!"

"But Yugi-"

"No!"

Jounouchi was silent for a moment. "Yuug, you know that all I want to do is help… is shutting me out like this really gonna make you happy?"

"Just because I might be gay doesn't mean I suddenly act like a woman! If I don't wanna talk about my problems, then you should just shut up and accept that! Now do you want to copy my homework or not!?"

Again, Jounouchi was silent. He gave Yugi's homework back to him and shook his head, "No, I think I'll be okay…" And with that he got up from his spot under the tree and began walking to class. Yugi stared after him, his heart sunk deeper than the Titanic. Giving his tear stained homework another glance, he shoved it into his bag and ran after him, calling his name and shouting apologies. Jounouchi _did_ just want to help. And he was the only one who knew how he felt about Atem. To top it all off, he was one of his very best friends. That in itself was more than enough reason to tell him what was wrong instead of closing off his heart.

---

"Whaaat!? Atem and Anzu!? Really!?" Jounouchi shouted when he heard. Yugi was thankful that Honda wasn't there. He didn't have any early morning classes, and wouldn't be there until much later.

"Jou, be quiet! And yes, really… but it's just a date! What if Atem doesn't like Anzu back?" He half smiled, but it fell about a second later, "Anzu would be crushed… but what if she'd get over it quickly!? …But what if it really is devastating for her… or even worse- what if Atem _does_ like her back!?" Yugi debated with himself loudly.

Jounouchi was also at a loss. He was caught between two of his best friends… Who exactly was he supposed to help?

He watched Yugi go into a slump of depression, and started to flash back to everything Yugi had been through with the Pharaoh. He'd known Atem longer than anyone had. Heck, they hadn't even known that Hikari Yugi and Yami Yugi were in fact two completely different people until that whole Dartz incident. When had Anzu begun to fall for him?

He shook his head. He knew who he had to root for, and who should be Atem's lover. Even if he wasn't putting any thought at all into what the Pharaoh's feelings could be.

Which he wasn't.

"Yuug, I'm gonna help you win Atem's heart!" He smiled proudly, wrapping an arm around his friend's neck, "Even if she _is_ our friend, we'll show Anzu just who she's dealin' wit'!"

"Wha-wha-what!?" Yugi freaked, "A-are you sure, Jounouchi? Won't that make Anzu mad? Or what if Atem really does like Anzu? What if it ends up as lost cause?"

"Hey, anything for a friend is _never_ a lost cause, Yuug! Besides, you'll never be able ta live wit' yaself if you go ya whole life wondering about what coulda happened if you'd just tried. You can trust me on dat one!" He gave his friend another pat on the back, the bell rang, and they were off to class.

* * *

**Edokina:** Okay, since that was such an uneventful chapter I'll try and give you Right and Wrong tomorrow. I'm currently having a battle over the only computer in the house with my sister, so if not tomorrow then ASAP after that!! Yugi! Battlestations!  
**Yugi:** (Hides behind chair wearing a pot for a helmet, silly string can ready to fire at little Emii-chan)  
**Edokina:** (Joins. Emii-chan comes around the corner...) Fire!!  
...You'll find out if we win tomorrow. 


	7. Right and Wrong

**Edokina:** (Covered in bruises and silly string) Hah! We were victorious! ...Okay that's a total lie... Obviously. Emii-chan stole the computer out from under our noses! While we were asleep! Yugi, I _told_ you that we should've stopped playing that game at three in the morning!  
**Yugi:** But it was so much fuuuuuun! You know that you enjoyed it! Remember how much we leveled up?  
**Edokina:** Yeah...! Anyway, it's late in the day, but I said I'd give it to you by today and here it is! By the way, as you already know, I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! But if I did, then Jou and Mai really would have gotten together (instead of that useless hinting at it) and Honda would either A) have been killed off or B) done something useful more than once.

* * *

Yugi drove home that day. Although he wished he hadn't. It was difficult to think while driving. And difficult to drive while fighting the urge to think about something.

He parked the car in the driveway and swore. It was raining again, although the only reason he'd just now consciously taken note of it was because he wanted to go for a walk. It helped him clear his head. He didn't want to face his grandpa's questions about his day. He didn't want to face Atem at all. After all, he was the whole reason he had so many things on his mind in the first place.

Leaving his bag in the car, he pulled on his raincoat and snagged the umbrella tucked under the seat. He loved his raincoat- it looked just like a black trench coat and protected his jeans from the moist weather.

He began his walk with no destination in mind. But after walking for a bit, he'd decided to walk to the Sparrow Café, which sat about half a mile away from his house. There were closer ones, but he chose that one simply because it was so far away.

He let out a distressed sigh as he asked no one, "What am I supposed to do?" _Jounouchi said that he'd help me win against Anzu… But how can I? For one, she's my friend. Two, she's a woman. What if Atem is totally straight? How am I supposed to compete with her?_

_Three, what if I hurt Anzu? Jou, I don't think that I can live with myself no matter what I do…_

Suddenly another voice chimed into Yugi's mind. It wasn't quite his own, and yet…

In cartoons, this was the devil on his shoulder.

"_Then why don't you just do what will make you happier anyway? Steal Atem away from her- right under her nose! It's still early enough- it'll be a snap! Plus, you live with the guy! You've got every advantage here, man- don't waste it!"_

Being the kind of person that Yugi was, he was his own angel, _I couldn't do that! I don't have _every_ advantage! I'm a guy!_

_"You're an _idiot_ is what you are! You've read _Gravitation_ and it worked out for them, right!?"_

_That was a manga, you moron! Of course it worked out!_

_"Doesn't mean that stuff doesn't happen in real life! What you wouldn't _give_ to do half the stuff they do together with Atem, right? Just think about it! Holding him…kissing him… touching him…"_

_You stop right now before I get any more images! _Yugi found himself walking into the café already, _I so wish I could beat you up right now…_

Yugi ordered some hot chocolate, because he hated coffee with a passion, and began his walk home.

_"Hey, you're the one that can't get it into his head to ask the guy out and try actually doing some of this, instead of dreaming about it all of the time!"_

Yugi sighed in defeat, _You're right…_he admitted. His cell phone buzzed in his back pocket. Reaching awkwardly under his long coat, he pulled it out and opened it up, placing it at his ear, "Hi, Grandpa." "Yugi? You're lucky I saw you walking by the shop this time. You really need to tell me when you're going out."

"Sorry, Grandpa! Why? Did you need something?"

"No, I was just getting worried. You're out longer than usual…"

"I… just have some things to work out, Grandpa. I went to the Sparrow, and I'm coming back now. You sure there's nothing you need me to pick up? I'm in front of a convenience store now…"

"No, no Yugi. Just get home without catching a cold, alright?"

"Okay, Grandpa. Love you." He hung up after he heard the response and continued his lonely walk home.

---

Hanging his coat up to dry and leaving his umbrella by the door, Yugi looked up into the face of a worried Atem. He kicked off his wet shoes, "Hey, Atem! Something wrong?"

"I was just going to ask you the same question… Are you okay, Aibou?"

"Huh? Of course I am! What gave you the idea that I wasn't?"

"Well, you usually come straight home, don't you? So when Mutou-san- I mean, Grandpa, told me that you'd gone for a walk, I thought that something might be troubling you…"

"Oh, no, I'm alright. I just wanted some hot chocolate is all. No one makes it like the guys at the Sparrow!" He made his way to his room to start his homework, which he'd grabbed out of the car before he'd come in. Atem followed him, "Are you sure, Yugi? We're still connected, you know… You obviously won't admit it, but there's something wrong. Just tell me what it is- maybe I can help."

"No, no! Really, Atem. It's just pre-finals blues. I'll be _fine,_ really!" _What'll get him off my back? I can't tell him what's really wrong…_ "You could help me study, though!"

Atem looked a bit surprised, though because of what Yugi could only guess. It was either because of the simplicity of his explanation, or that Yugi was lying to his face so obviously. He really hoped it was the first one as Atem nodded and followed Yugi into his room, where he started telling Atem exactly what he needed to be quizzed on.

* * *

**Edokina:** Hooray for reviews! Thank you all so much for each of them!  
**Yugi:** It means so much that you care! (Teary-eyed)  
**Edokina:** And for my next chapter: The Date! That's right, folks- it's finally happening! Doom-doom-dooooom! What will Yugi do? Will Jounouchi save the day? Will Honda ever appear in this fanfic again?? Tune in next time to find out! Only on (Insert cheezy end theme here) 


	8. The Date

**Edokina:** It's because you're psycic, Atemu Yugi Lover34! And you can't be more of a loser or any dorkier than I am, so feel free to say what you want! I won't judge! ...And it's been driving me crazy since I read it!!  
Anyway... look, Yugi! Our reviews have made it to the thirties!! (Clapping excitedly)  
**Yugi: **(Clapping too, then bows) Thank you very much! I will now give each and every one of you a hug!! (does so)  
**Edokina:** Disclaimer: I own this plotline, but I do NOT own Yu-Gi-Oh! or any of the related characters. Oh, and have I mentioned that out of the three people Yugi hangs out with, Jounouchi is my favorite? Well, he is! Now, onward!!

* * *

The Date

This was finally it. Saturday morning. Normally Yugi's favorite. He normally got up, ran downstairs, got a bowl of cereal and turned to his favorite channel for the special cartoons they only showed that morning out of the whole week.

But today was different. Today was the day the man he loved went on a date with someone else. With his best friend. With-

_"The enemy!"_ The devil shouted in his ear. Yugi sat up quickly and glared at the wall, as if that would make the devil go away.

He took a shower and got dressed for the day in time to see Atem slipping on his shoes at the door. Although it was difficult to even watch him leave. This was his final chance to tell him not to go…

And he blew it. He just couldn't do it, chickened out and ran back up the stairs before Atem realized that he'd even been standing there.

Or so he thought.

He heard Atem calling his name, following him up the stairs.

Yugi closed the door to his room and slid down it, tears already falling from his eyes. "Aibou, what's wrong!?" "Doesn't matter, Atem! I'll be okay! You go have fun- I'll tell you about it later!"

"I'll hold you to that!" was the answer he got, followed by the sounds of hesitant footsteps. This pain in his chest… was his heart even inside anymore? He felt like maybe he'd dropped it on the stairs. Or maybe he'd dropped it in the living room that Thursday, and Anzu had stepped on it as she took Atem into the other room to ask him about today?

It didn't matter. Someone had ripped it out and laughed at him as he lay bleeding on the ground, face in the mud.

At least that's how he felt.

His cell phone rang. He looked at the caller ID: Jounouchi.

Wiping his eyes and grabbing some tissue for his running nose, he answered it, "Hello?"

"Hey, you _are_ up! Ready, Yuug?"

"Huh? Ready for what?"

"Ta ruin their date, of course! What, am I speakin' French here?"

"Do _what!?_ Joey, that's… that's…! I can't believe you!"

"What? There's nothin' wrong wit' it, so let's get goin'! Quick- follow Atem out da door before ya loose sight o' 'im!"

"Jou! I will do no such thing! Do you know how many laws that could-"

"Do you know how many boyfriends you'll loose tryin' ta play nice? Let's get goin', Yuug! If you don' show up, then I'll be doing this no-holds barred!"

Suddenly Jounouchi hung up. Yugi couldn't believe his friend! Helping him win Atem's heart was one thing. Messing up Anzu's chances was just wrong.

And so, due only to what Jounouchi had said before hanging up, Yugi ran downstairs and put on his shoes. He realized that Atem had grabbed his umbrella, but his raincoat was still there. Fortunately, it wasn't raining yet. Yugi threw the coat on and tried to catch up with Atem without being spotted.

Atem couldn't drive, so he had to walk, giving Yugi a reason to thank the Gods over and over again. He did _not _want to try tailing the love of his life in a car.

Atem looked so cool, his black fluffy jacket shielding him from the cold, his only protection from the rain that could fall at any moment swinging in his right hand at his side, his left tucked into a pocket. He wore black jeans that looked perfect on him, so perfect that Yugi found himself staring at Atem's butt.

"Anzu not here yet?"

Poor Yugi shrieked and nearly fell into a mud puddle. But Jounouchi grabbed him and pulled him back upright, "Shhh! Yuug, you're gonna blow our cover!"

"You're the one sneaking around like you're a friggin' ninja or something!"

"There she is!" Jounouchi pointed at Anzu when she came onto the scene, and the two of them went into the coffee shop Atem had been standing out side of. Yugi resisted the urge to punch Jounouchi for changing the subject and dragging him out there. The hardest thing to do was stand by and watch the person you love love someone else. So what had possessed Jounouchi to even think about doing something like this?

"Move out!" Jounouchi slowly walked over to the window of the coffee shop and crouched low, peeping in on the couple while they waited in line to order. Yugi watched sadly, imagining himself in Anzu's place… He could hold Atem's hand over the table, and stare into those beautiful crimson eyes of his, falling into their strong sense of mystery yet again…

He felt Jounouchi nudge him, "C'mon, Yuug!" He stood up and ran around the back. Yugi followed him through a door that had a sign reading "Employees Only." "Jounouchi, what are we doing here?" he asked nervously. "Yuug, be quiet and put these on!" Yugi found himself holding an apron, a large hat and some sunglasses. He put on the apron and sunglasses on alright, but he hated hats. He could wear one, but only with water, a hairbrush, lots of gel and maybe even some hairspray. It was just so much of a hassle to comfortably wear a hat he never bothered.

"Yuug! Hat! Now!"

"Jounouchi, I can't! Hats are so uncom-!" Jounouchi quickly pet Yugi's tall hair back and shoved the hat on. It felt so unnatural…

"Now stop pokin' at it and follow me!" He went out the door in front of them and found it to be the coffee shop Atem and Anzu were in. And they were up next!

Yugi vaguely wondered what happened to the other guys who had been at the counter when it hit him: Jounouchi must have knocked them out! These were _their_ aprons and hats they were wearing! He began to panic when he heard Jounouchi fake an accent and voice tone, "'Ello! Wot can I get for you t'day?"

British!? Jounouchi was trying to be _British!?_ Yugi was ready to throw his hands up and confess when he heard Atem answer, "Black coffee, and green tea. Both medium."

"Alright sir, your total comes to…2500**(1)** yen."

Yugi nearly fell over from shock. He had to be making that up. _That_ much for two cups of coffee!? What was he thinking!?

…What was Atem thinking shelling out the yen for it!?

Anzu grabbed his arm, "That can't be right! You must have typed something in wrong!" Yugi's heart panged at Anzu's gesture.

"Oh! Terribly sorry. Allow me to try this again… Alright, 1500**(2)**."

"Are you kidding me!? I can add these prices up in my head, and we're not paying anything over 850**(3)** yen!"

Jounouchi reached into the drawer and pulled out a calculator, punching in, from Yugi's point of view, random numbers. "Ah! You are correct. Terribly sorry, ma'am, terribly, terrible sorry. Oi, Daisuke!" Jounouchi then handed Yugi a slip of paper while he worked on getting the money in the cash register. Yugi looked it over and almost fell over again.

Jounouchi wanted him to mess up the order.

Finally stuck directly influencing the date, Yugi decided to do as he was told. Maybe Anzu would take it that Atem was bad luck to go on dates with, and never go out with him again. Or maybe it would be Atem in that situation. Or maybe it would cause an argument and they'd never want to see each other again!

…But then what would happen to their friendship?

_"Who cares!? You can worry about that later! Their waiting for their drinks- you've got no time to think!"_

Before he knew it, Yugi was throwing all sorts of things into the drinks. He knew exactly how Atem _didn't_ like his coffee- loaded with sugar and cream. Anzu's… he didn't know how to mess up tea. Except to add everything at his disposal into it, including so much sugar it filled an inch of the cup by itself, some chocolate syrup, caramel and finally he found some sour gummy worms stashed behind the counter, so he pulled out the worms and poured the sour sugary stuff into the cup.

He handed the drinks to the couple before he could be filled with enough guilt to change his mind. He watched them take them happily, and take sips right before starting a conversation only to spit them out all over each other. Both began to blush as if they'd just seen each other naked and apologizing like they'd just killed the other's mother. Grabbing for the napkins, Anzu wiped Atem off as best as she could while Atem cleaned off Anzu's face. He didn't dare try cleaning up the coffee that had been splattered all over the top half of her blouse.

However Anzu tried to dry off Atem's face at the same time he dried hers, and their eyes met. Yugi and Jounouchi watched intently, ignoring the man who was now ordering. Anzu molded her hand around the side of Atem's face, her eyes closing a little as she brought her face forward.

Suddenly Yugi lost all sense of anything for a moment. Jounouchi had shoved something into his hands and he found himself flying over the counter and colliding with Atem, knocking the both of them to the floor and leaving Anzu even more embarrassed that she was when she spat her monstrous tea all over Atem. She was standing above them, a hand making sure there was no way for either man to see up her mini skirt while on the floor. Yugi figured out which way was up and stood, grabbing the thing Jounouchi had given him; a bucket full of garbage. His cover, he assumed. Were real busboys this clumsy?

He helped Atem up, knowing that the sunglasses and hat were the only things hiding him at the moment. He bowed an apology, afraid to speak and face as red as a tomato as he dashed back behind the counter and into the kitchen.

---

Ten minutes later, Jounouchi had finally caught up with him. Yugi had been sitting on a park bench, his disguise disposed of as he ran here and tears pouring out of his eyes like two waterfalls. They had almost _kissed._ Atem just stood there and almost let Anzu _kiss_ him! On the first date, no less! Not even twenty minutes into it! Was it the timing? Or did Atem actually, really, truly like Anzu like that?

He felt a friendly arm wrap around his neck and grip his shoulder, "Hey, bud, don't sweat it. I bet he just got caught up in the moment!" He smiled wryly at the shaking boy to his right. He was answered with a hand that smacked him in the chest, "Get off me," Yugi sniffled. Jounouchi moved his arm, placing it at his side instead, and finally moving to let his hands rest in his lap. After another moment's silence, Jounouchi spoke up again, "Yuug, I'm sorry. Dis is all my fault…"

"No, Jounouchi. It's not. You… you just wanted to help. It's mine. All… mine…" he began sobbing, loudly. Jounouchi began to rub his back, trying to calm him down. "Why don' I get Mai to come pick us up, eh? I'd bet she'll make some of her famous apple pies!"

Yugi continued to sob, although he'd managed a nod, and he could hear the beeping of Jounouchi's cell phone as he called Mai.

* * *

**(1) **about $21.00 **(2) **about $12.00 **(3) **about $7.00  
**Edokina: **Heeeere coooomes Mai!! How do you think she'll handle things? Next chapter: Courage in Rare Places! It's only a matter of time now... (Shifty eyes, shady smile)  
**Yugi:** Time? Until what?  
**Edokina:** You'll see. You'll all see. In due time, of course... (evil smile)  
**Yugi: **Awww, but I wanna see _now_!  
**Edokina: **Please please _please _give us more reviews, readers! I look forward to reading them as the final chapter draws nearer!  
So, we'll see you next time! 


	9. Courage in Rare Places

**Edokina: **(Happy squealing!) ...Ahem... Sorry! But I'm so happy! From 30 to 40 in one chapter! I'm so glad that you all like it!  
**Yugi:** Kina, you need to stop getting all excited every time you get a review...  
**Edokina:** But I wuvs reviews! They make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside!  
**Yugi:** You're saying that _now..._ what're you going to do when someone says that they don't like it?  
**Edokina:** We'll cross that bridge when we get to it!  
**Yugi: **I wish that _I_ could deal with things like you do... But just lookit how much I worry! (Crying)  
**Edokina: **It's okay, Yugi! It'll be okay in the end! So if it's not okay, then it's not the end! So sit tight and read on!

* * *

Courage in Rare Places

Yugi was curled up on Jounouchi and Mai's couch, wrapped up in a blanket, some of Mai's piping hot, fresh-out-of-the-oven apple pie in his hands and a glass of milk on the table in front of him. Mai sat next to him, watching a movie with him to get his mind off reality for a few hours. Jounouchi had gone to his own house, and having explained the situation to Yugi's grandfather left the small, fragile boy in Mai's capable and understanding hands.

After the movie, Mai smiled at Yugi, "Why don't you change into something more comfortable? If you're going to stay the night, you may as well, right?"

Yugi shrugged silently. Suddenly he was looking up at a blue nightgown being dangled in front of his face, "Try it on!" Mai smiled. "What!? This!? No way! Doesn't Jounouchi have anything I could wear? He's left pajamas over here, right!?"

"You think I'd let him leave _his_ things lying all over _my_ house? Dream on, Yugi! Look, just try it on. Don't you think that this is something Atem might want to see you in?"

"Huh!? Wh-who told you about that!? Ooh, Jounouchi, I swear that I will kill you as soon as I-!"

"Relax, Kiddo! I figured this one out on my own."

"Huh!? How!?"

"Oh, I dunno… maybe it was when you used some of the apples in my pie to spell out 'Atem' on your plate?" She pointed to that very plate, still sitting on the table in front of him. He wanted to hit himself for being so blatantly obvious.

"Now, you wanna try it on, or not? Just to see what it looks like?"

"_No._ You're as bad as Jounouchi! Just because I like a guy does _not_ mean I'm going to act like a woman!"

"You're not _acting_ like a woman, you're _dressing_ like one! Just to see how you look, okay? It works for some people! Besides, if he's going to be your boyfriend, then you should wear something like this for him at least _once,_ right?" She smiled and added a wink.

Yugi pouted to the floor, but finally gave up and grabbed the nightgown and entered the bathroom.

He stood in front of the full-length mirror, blushing like mad and modeling for himself. He felt so silly. It was a spaghetti-strapped nightgown, light blue and made of silk, and when light shined on it small roses could be seen. It reached his knees, so he didn't even want to think about where it reached when Mai wore it.

He finally came out, still blushing, "Happy now? I feel like an idiot… But I'll admit… it _is_ comfortable…"

Mai smiled in reply, "See? You can keep it!"

"B-but I don't-!"

"Think nothing of it, Yugi! Now come have a seat and we'll see if we can't figure this out."

"Figure what out?"

"Your situation, silly! You can't just leave things as they are- You'll be miserable, Hun!"

"But what about Anzu!?"

"Forget about her! You should care about _you._ All's fair in love and war, Kiddo."

"But what if Atem-!"

"What? Doesn't like you back? Yugi, Hun, take a risk once in a while."

"What if he hates me afterward? Or, or never wants to talk to me again?"

"Then the bastard wasn't worth your time! Get it?"

"But…"

"No 'buts!' Yugi, regret not what you have done, but what you have _not_ done. If you'd just asked in the first place, you could've been trying to move on this whole time instead of watching him and Anzu. So, what're you going to do tomorrow?"

Yugi was silent.

"'Ask him out!' C'mon, let me hear you say it. What are you going to do tomorrow, Kiddo?"

"…Ask…" He stopped for a moment, then spoke up again, "Mai, can I… have more time than just 'tomorrow?'"

"If you do, then I want to hear that you gave him a full-on love confession, deal?"

Yugi nodded. That was what he wanted. Mai was pushy, but she'd given him courage, and the right idea. All or nothing. That was how it should have been done from the start.

* * *

**Edokina:** Anyone asking "WTF was up with Yugi in the nightgown!?" The answer is: simply because I wanted to. It was random and not necessary, but I had this little voice in my head telling me to do it because I thought that he'd just look so damn cute in it!!  
**Yugi:** Well, I do! I have to admit, I was real reluctant at first... Hey, Kina? Do you really think that Atem would like me in it?  
**Edokina:** Only one way to find out! ;) Anyway, gimme more reviews, please!  
Next chapter: Pain of All Kinds! 


	10. Pain of All Kinds

**Edokina:** Aw, I'm sorry, Killerpen888! (Hugs Yugi for you) There!  
**Yugi:** Kina? Can't... breathe!! (choke)  
**Edokina: **You'll live. Breathing is overrated anyway.  
**Yugi:** Kiiiiiinaaaa!! (gasp)  
**Edokina:**_ Fine._ (lets go)  
**Yugi:** (Drops to floor, trying to catch his breath) From this day forward, I swear off hugs...  
**Edokina:** You know you don't mean that! Anyway, I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!-  
**Yugi:** Damn good thing, too! Who knows what coulda happened to me... (grips throat)  
**Edokina:** Absolutly nothing, chibi-chan!  
**Yugi:** Oi, who're you calling chibi-chan?? I'm taller than you!  
**Edokina:** With your hair! (pouts)

* * *

Pain of All Kinds

"Yugi! Now that just wasn't fair! You told me yesterday that you'd tell me what was wrong, and I come home and find you _gone!?_ Do you know how much I worried? All day… all day I could feel you hurting! Who hurt you, Yugi?"

The poor young man had hardly gotten through the door, and he was already being pelted with questions from none other than the man he had a week to confess to. Mai said so- otherwise, she'd send Atem a… _descriptive_ love letter on Yugi's behalf.

"Huh? Oh, I'll tell you later, Atem… How was your date yesterday?"

"The first twenty minutes were a disaster. Other than that and not catching the poor woman when she fell into the mud, it went pretty well. She wants to try again next Saturday… Hey, how _dare_ you get me to change the subject!? Yugi Mutou, I want an explanation. _Now._"

_Now?_ He thought, his gaze lowering to the floor. _Now, now?_ He looked back up at Atem, and let his gaze fall to his hand, which he saw his own reaching out for. "Now. Right… c'mere." he gently tugged Atem to follow him up the stairs, down the hall and into Yugi's room. Atem's touch was so… _warm._ And Yugi could smell the sand and sun wafting through the air again.

Confession Attempt One: The Right MomentHe closed the door and sat on his bed, Atem still standing by the door and waiting for his explanation. Yugi stared at him, though, his eyes beckoning him closer. So Atem moved so, sitting next to him. "Now what has been going on with you, Yugi?"

"A lot of stuff… as I've said before, finals are kinda breathing down my neck. And I'm worried about what will happen to my friendship with Anzu… But… the real reason I've been acting so weird lately is that… Well, Atem, I-"

"Yugi! Phone!" said Yugi's grandpa as he opened the door. Yugi mentally swore, but held up a friendly appearance as he took the phone from his grandpa, "Hello?" He was even more pissed when he realized that it was just Honda asking what the homework was for history. He answered, trying with all his might not to let his voice reflect his feelings.

Once he hung up, he'd realized that he'd lost his confidence, and added to why he was worried about his and Anzu's friendship, his only real reason being that they couldn't hang out as much as they used to now that she was a dancer-in-training, and he couldn't imagine how it would be once she was a full time dancer.

Atem told him that it sounded reasonable, and reassured him that she wasn't going to let their friendship die. Yugi listened not to his words, but to his voice. He didn't care to listen to solutions to problems he didn't even really have, but just that Atem cared enough to at least try made him feel better.

Confession Attempt One: Failure.

A few nights later, Yugi went downstairs after a nap to find Anzu and Atem cuddled up in front of a movie. He rudely walked in and asked loudly, "Hey! What're you guys watching? Oh! I love this movie!" And he sat right between them.

Confession Attempt Two: Screw Anzu- Confess in Front of Her!

"Hey, Atem? Y'know… for the longest time… I… I… I've always wished that they'd gotten someone different to play the main character!"

Confession Attempt Two: Failure.

This seemed totally hopeless. No matter what he did, he always seemed to get interrupted. And today, he was especially discouraged. Thursday evening. Who the hell goes out on a Thursday evening? Atem and Anzu, apparently. But it was just so… random! Why not wait for Friday? It would make Yugi feel better…

At the moment the depressed young man slumped in front of the television, channel surfing. He thought about Anzu the whole time. How she must be holding onto Atem's arm like a puppy dog. Or staring up into his eyes like a lovesick idiot. Each push of the button on the remote he imagined squashing her under his thumb. He'd been too soft before. He couldn't believe that he was still friends with that bitch. But then Duelist Kingdom snuck into his head. She'd dueled Mai in an effort to win the star chips he needed so he could get into the castle and save his grandfather. Granted, she would have lost if Mai hadn't just given up, but the point was, she tried.

He sighed. What was wrong with him? Who knew that he would end up risking friendship over a guy? Maybe he and Anzu would both dump him and laugh about it later, like in the movies…?

He let out a short laugh at that one. Dump Atem? As if. Not while he still had a chance.

Still, he didn't know what he was going to do about-

He suddenly felt mild pains all over. Almost twenty seconds later, his cell phone started ringing. He looked at the caller ID. Anzu. He answered it, "Hello?"

"Yugi!?" She sounded like she was crying, "Someone stole the Millennium Puzzle from Atem, and now he can hardly move!" Yugi could hear Atem screaming in the background. And from just that, he knew it was out of pain and his heart wrenched in his chest. "Oooh, Yugi I'm so scared! What's happening to him?"

"The Puzzle, Anzu! Atem needs the Puzzle!" He shouted at her as he leaped off the couch and headed for the front door, pulling on his shoes.

"I'm sorry, Yugi! The guy grabbed it- slipped it right over Atem's head- and ran a few meters away from us. And Atem fell to the ground and started screaming. I panicked and didn't even try to follow the guy… Oooh, what have I done…?"

"Anzu, calm down! Where are you?"

"The Sparrow!"

"I'm driving there now. What did this guy look like?"

"Tall, he wore a brown hoodie, faded blue jeans with white paint splattered all over them… I couldn't see his face."

"Alright, Anzu I'll go look for the guy. When I get there, take my car and get Atem back to the house!"

"Okay… Yugi, will Atem be okay?"

"Of course! Don't even think otherwise!"

"Okay… Yugi?"

"What?"

"…Thank you."

_I'm not doing this for you, y'know._ He thought, but responded, "Atem saved us all the time. We should start returning the favor!"

He hung up the phone as he pulled up in front of the café and jumped out, throwing his keys at Anzu and hoping that she could get someone to help her get Atem into the car. He was more concerned with finding the Puzzle. The sooner he did, the sooner he didn't have to listen to his poor Love screaming out in pain the way he was, and he wouldn't have to ever see him writhe like that again… He saw only a glimpse, but it was _terrible._ Yugi's heart felt like it had had daggers thrown right into it.

"Which way did he go!?" He asked, trying to not look at Atem in this condition again. "Up the street! The way you're facing! Yugi, how am I supposed to point it out when you won't even look-"

Yugi had already taken off running, sprinting, actually, as fast as his short legs would carry him. He had only one thought in his head: the Millennium Puzzle. He thought so hard about it, he was _concentrating_ on it, as if that alone would lead him to it.

Surprisingly enough, it would. He felt something, almost like a slight tugging at his heart. He followed it to the end of the street, to his right, dodged some cars… he soon lost sense of what he was actually doing and just ran in the direction of the pull. He came to an old, run down apartment. Throwing the door open, he saw the man Anzu had described showing off his prize to two other men, all laughing at some joke the man had apparently made.

Yugi tackled him instinctively, snatching up the Puzzle and running for the door, but felt himself get tackled and fell to the ground, the edges of the Puzzle digging into his chest. He looked at the one who had tacked him. He was just one of the other two men. The brown hoodie was standing up, and looking rather pissed.

Yugi smacked his attacker with the Puzzle, hard and fast with the edge and in the head. He subconsciously noted the blood on the Puzzle and jumped up as the guy he'd hit held his head and swore mercilessly.

He ran into the park right outside, diving into a bunch of bushes. _Dammit, leave me alone! I have to give the Puzzle back to Atem, _now! He watched the other two goons split up, one running away from him and the brown hoodie running in his direction. And of course, leave it to him to check the bushes first thing…

Yugi stayed silent. His bushes hadn't been checked yet. The farther away the guy's partner was, the better…

"Gotcha, you little brat!" The man shouted as she reached for Yugi, who jumped out of the bushes and ran to the street. He needed a taxi. He didn't know where he was. He wouldn't be able to just run back home.

He was tackled again, this time pain splintering up from his chin as he hit concrete. So close…

He felt the guy's fist make contact with his face, and his lip began to sting. He must have cut it on his tooth, because the disgusting tang of blood singed the left side of his tongue.

He felt another punch, and countered a third with the point of the Puzzle. The man swore and Yugi used this opportunity to smack him in the head with it. Yugi had no upper strength to speak of, but he could work wonders with a pointy object, a dose of adrenaline and pent up anger originally aimed at a woman he considered his friend.

With another hit, the man could be pushed off him and Yugi ran down the street calling for a taxi. One finally pulled over and he jumped in, sighing in relief and looking back at the guy who held his head and chased him to the corner before just shaking his fist and yelling.

Yugi paid the taxi driver and jumped out of the car, rushing into his house and placing the pyramid into the Pharaoh's hands. By this time, however, Atem's eyes were shut and he lay with a pained look on his face. Yugi's grandpa and Anzu stood over him with grim looks. "Is he…? He's not! He can't be! Atem, Atem, wake up! Atem!? Atem!" Yugi screamed his name out once more, tears escaping his eyes. It wasn't fair. All that, only for Atem to…?

The man stirred, his crimson eyes opening slowly and his right hand reaching up to rub his temple, "Yugi? Please, keep it down. I've got the grandfather of all headaches…"

"Atem!?" Yugi perked up, a smile slapped across his face. The Pharaoh smiled back at him, and Yugi gave him the best hug he could considering that the man was laying down. Everything was okay!

Well, _almost_ everything…

* * *

**Edokina:** And that's a wrap! Great job everyone!  
**Yugi:** Kina, you're not a director. And- you're starting to scare me.  
**Edokina:** Howzzat?  
**Yugi:** Lookit all the yaoi you've been reading lately! This can't be normal! What happened to "I don't wanna read about this!"?  
**Edokina:** That part of me suddenly died when I read about you and Atem kissing. And saw pictures of it... I don't support the Sora/Riku thing- it should be Sora/Kairi- but... oh my gawd they are just soooooo cute! And the way some of these authors write about Seto/Jou... EEEEKS!! It makes me wanna just give them all a hug!  
**Yugi:** (Sigh) She's destracted by the sudden overload of stuff to read to satisfy her fangirlism... I swear, she has no self-control...  
**Edokina: **I heard that! (does nothing about it anyway)  
**Yugi: **Yeah... See? Too destracted... Guess I'll have to finish up for her! Next chapter: Eight Years, Eight attempts, One Success Each! You can tell from the title and the previous chapter what's gonna happen, huh? I'm excited about it too! Oh, and don't worry about the "eight years" in the title: it flashes ahead only a day. Eight years to finish the puzzle, eight attempts at confession... We both agreed that it'd be cute!  
So please, leave a review! Even with all her distractions, she'll take the time to read them- trust me! 


	11. 8 Years, 8 Attempts, One Success Each

**Edokina:** Hello, everyone! Sorry that we're later than usual- we had a few problems with the internet. But it works again! For now, at least. Anyway, here we are! The last chapter... I'm almost sad to be finished posting it all... (sniff) Aw, who am I kidding? I _am_ sad to be finished posting it all! Well, almost all of it... There's an epilogue that I'll post as soon as this one's up.  
(Crying) You have all been so good to Yugi and I! We hope to continue writing and posting fanfics worthy of your attention!  
**Yugi:** And I would personally like to thank you all: Animehunter08, yugixyamiyaoilover, Rapid Puzzleshipper Saiko, SwimmingSamurai, Atemu Yugi Lover 34, prince vinnie, dreamyheartstarmoonlight, Spirited-Lilly, gecko-grl-2, tinkletimekelly, Tayomi, Twilight, Shamise, Killerpen888, AtemusloverSapphire, blueberry-90, and zypher for reviewing and letting us know what you thought! Please remember to leave us some after-thoughts, too! We wanna know what you think of the ending!  
**Edokina&Yugi:** And remember: we do _not_ own Yu-Gi-Oh!

* * *

Eight Years, Eight Attempts, One Success Each

Yesterday had been stressful for Yugi, Anzu and Atem. So the gang decided to go out to eat, as a reward for Yugi saving Atem, and just a treat for them for surviving something like that. Atem was sitting between Anzu and Yugi. They were all having their share of fun, until Yugi witnessed something he hadn't expected. Anzu reached for and successfully held Atem's hand without him flicking her away. And this tugged at Yugi's jealous heart.

For the last time.

Yugi asked for everyone's attention. That jealousy finally got him to do the unthinkable.

He wanted to embarrass the hell out of Anzu.

He lightly considered that chance that this could backfire on him. But then he thought about that night at Mai's. She'd said that if he said no, then he wasn't worth it. All or nothing. That was how this should have been, and how it will be.

Confession Attempt Eight: All or Nothing.

"What is it, Yugi?" Anzu asked, wearing an inquisitive smile. Yugi ignored her and stood up, turning to Atem, "Atem, I have something to tell you that I've been trying to tell you for the past week. But something always happens. I get interrupted, or it just doesn't come out right. Well, now that the whole world, or at least, everyone here, is watching, I know that I can say it this time. Atem," he took a deep breath, "I love you!"

Atem looked startled. And he stayed like that for what felt like an eternity. Anzu looked completely shocked. But Yugi paid her no mind; he wanted Atem's answer.

Which was a soft smile. He released Anzu's hand and stood up, staring into Yugi's eyes, and putting him in a state of hypnosis once more. He placed an arm around Yugi's waist and cupped his chin in his hand and in one swift, tantalizing motion, Yugi found himself surrendering to a kiss.

And oh _Gods,_ what a kiss it was! Yugi reached his arms around Atem's neck, parting his lips and allowing the sensation to run through him. Atem pulled his body closer, every part of Yugi he touched seemed to tingle. His heart did back flips and sang a thousand songs at once as the tingling feeling followed Atem's hand up his back and the hand on his chin moved to his waist. The air itself seem to celebrate them as it sparked around them.

Fangirls in the restaurant squealed, people who downright appreciated the moment "aww"ed, and those that were sickened grunted in dissatisfaction. But to Atem and Yugi, none of them even existed. Just as a waiter was about to tell them to sit down or leave, they broke the kiss and stared at each other once again, Atem smiling wider than he had since he'd gotten home, "I love you too, Aibou."

Confession Attempt Eight: Success.

* * *

Again, thank you all! I'm obviously not the mistress of writing kissing scenes, but I hope that it was good enough! The Epilogue will be up in a sec. I hope that you all enjoyed it and I hope that you'll review any future fanfics I plan, write and finish! Speaking of reviews, review the ending please! Love you all!  
Edokina 


	12. Epilogue

Epilogue

"Aibou, why didn't you tell me sooner?" Atem asked on their way back to the shop, Yugi living out his dream of holding hands with the man as they went. They walked alone, their friends having taken the car to console Anzu on the way home.

"Well, I was afraid that you wouldn't like me any more if you found out that I… played for the other team." He gave him a faint smile.

Atem stopped and placed a finger under Yugi's chin, directing his gaze to his eyes, "How could I ever _not_ like you, Aibou?"

"Well… I thought it would be better to be safe than sorry. But it looks like it worked out better the other way around this time," Yugi answered, giving a mischievous smile. But it quickly turned into a pout, "But if you loved me this whole time, then _you_ should be the one giving the explanation!"

Atem laughed a bit at Yugi's adorable face, "I had the same reason as you, apparently. I was too afraid that you wouldn't like me anymore, or would find me appalling if you knew… And Anzu was right there- I thought she could help me move on, I suppose…" He said as he lured Yugi to a bench.

"So you _used_ her!? …Guess we both owe her an apology…" He sat on the bench.

"Yes. But, I owe you one first."

"What for?"

"I broke your Game Cube."

"You did _what!?_ Atem, I swear, I'm going to-!" Yugi's threat was smothered in another kiss. _I'm going to… deal with it later…_he thought, slowly settling into a laying position, reveling in Atem's touch as his hands explored his body, looking for Yugi's pleasure spots. He felt Atem's smirk curl around his lips when he found one, Yugi's moan seeming to ask for more as the curtain of night finally fell around them.


End file.
